The introduction of coffee to Venezuela is generally credited to a Jesuit priest named José Gumilla in around 1730. Venezuela came to be known for its plantations of tobacco and cacao run on slave labour, and from around 1793 there is evidence of large coffee plantations too.
From around 1800, coffee took an increasingly important role in the economy. During the Venezuelan War of Independence, from 1811 to 1823, cacao production began to drop but coffee production surged. The first boom in the country’s coffee industry took place between 1830 and 1855, when Venezuela produced around one-third of the world’s coffee. Coffee continued to grow in production, peaking in 1919 with a total export of 1.37 million bags. Together, coffee and cacao accounted for 75 per cent of the country’s entire export revenue. Most of the coffee went to the United States.
In the 1920s, Venezuela’s economy became increasingly dependent on petroleum, although coffee remained a good source of revenue. Much of the revenue was spent on national infrastructure, until the prices dropped in the 1930s and the production and processing infrastructure suffered as a consequence. This period also saw a shift towards privatization in the coffee industry, stripping peasants of much of their power to grow their own coffee on public land.
Since this period, the nation has been fundamentally dependent on petroleum products and other mineral exports. Coffee production and exports had remained relatively high, with Venezuela nearly matching the production of Colombia, but that changed under the government of Hugo Chávez. In 2003, the government introduced strict regulations on coffee production, which meant the country increasingly had to rely on imports for domestic consumption, mostly from Nicaragua and Brazil. Venezuela exported 479,000 bags of coffee in 1992/1993 and this dropped again to 19,000 in 2009/2010. Government-fixed sales prices have been considerably below the cost of production, which has inevitably damaged the industry. Few can predict how the situation will change in the wake of Chávez’s death.
Though Venezuelan coffee production was strong in the early-20th century, crops are increasingly rare and have suffered from political resistance and poor remuneration for farmers.
TRACEABILITY
As so little coffee is exported from the country, coming across Venezuelan coffees of quality is rare. While some should be traceable down to single estates, it is more common to see coffees described by their region names. Generally speaking, the low altitude and lack of focus on cup quality means I would recommend trying Venezuelan coffees only if they are being provided by a roaster whose coffees you generally enjoy and who you trust.
TASTE PROFILE
The better coffees from Venezuela are quite sweet, a little low in acidity and relatively rich in terms of mouthfeel and texture.
GROWING REGIONS
Population: 31,775,000
Number of 60kg (132lb) bags in 2016: 400,000
Coffees from Venezuela are currently quite rare. There are hopes that this may change in the future but it seems unlikely in the short term.
WESTERN REGION
This region produces a large percentage of the country’s coffee. It is easier to find export grades marked with the name of the state in which they were produced, such as Táchira, Mérida or Zulia, rather than the region. Some people make comparisons between coffees from this region and those from neighbouring Colombia.
| Altitude: | 1,000–1,200m (3,300–3,900ft) |
| Harvest: | September–March |
| Varieties: | Typica, Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Caturra |
WEST CENTRAL REGION
This region contains the states of Portuguesa and Lara, some of the primary coffee-producing regions in the country, as well as Falcón and Yaracuy. The best coffees are considered to come from this region, relatively close to the Colombian border. These coffees are commonly referred to as Maracaibos, named for the port from which they are exported.
| Altitude: | 1,000–1,200m (3,300–3,900ft) |
| Harvest: | September–March |
| Varieties: | Typica, Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Caturra |
NORTH CENTRAL REGION
A small amount of Venezuela’s production comes from the states of Aragua, Carabobo, the Federal Dependencies, Miranda, Cojedes and Guárico in this region.
| Altitude: | 1,000–1,200m (3,300–3,900ft) |
| Harvest: | September–March |
| Varieties: | Typica, Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Caturra |
EASTERN REGION
This region is home to the states of Sucre, Monagas, Anzoátegui and Bolívar. It is sometimes possible to find a type of coffee called Caracas produced in this region.
| Altitude: | 1,000–1,200m (3,300–3,900ft) |
| Harvest: | September–March |
| Varieties: | Typica, Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Caturra |